to apply a cash bidding title allocation method for exploration permits in the offshore petroleum regulatory regime by: requiring a 10 per cent forfeitable deposit which is payable upon placement of a cash bid; enabling a reserve price to be set; requiring pre-qualification assessment of the eligibility of bidders; and specifying a non-discretionary tie-breaker mechanism.

in relation to the offshore petroleum regulatory regime to: implement enforcement mechanisms including infringement notices, daily penalties for continuing offences and civil penalty provisions, injunctions and adverse publicity orders; enable National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority inspectors to issue environmental prohibition and improvement notices to require petroleum titleholders to remove significant threats to the environment and provide for publication of these notices; provide for an express polluter pays obligation and an associated third party cost recovery mechanism; clarify insurance requirements to ensure that maintenance of sufficient financial assurance is compulsory without a direction being given; and make technical amendments.

to: automatically grant or extend the coverage of offshore petroleum titles over blocks moving from state or Northern Territory coastal waters into Commonwealth jurisdiction as a result of a change to the boundary; provide arrangements for the granting of renewals of Commonwealth titles over blocks remaining in Commonwealth waters, where part of that title has moved into state or Northern Territory coastal waters as a result of a change to the boundary; separate the requirements for conferral of petroleum and greenhouse gas functions on the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA); enable the recovery of costs for regulatory operations undertaken by NOPSEMA in waters landward of the territorial sea baseline; and make technical amendments.

to: expand the definition of ‘designated coastal waters’ to include all waters of the sea landward of the Commonwealth offshore area; and permit registered multiple petroleum titleholders to take eligible voluntary actions.

Part of a package of five bills in relation to the administration and regulation of petroleum and greenhouse gas storage operations in Commonwealth waters, the bill amends the

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006

to replace the state and Northern Territory based Designated Authorities with the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (which will replace the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority and have extended functions) and the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (located within the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism) to administer and regulate petroleum and greenhouse gas storage operations in Commonwealth waters in the Australian offshore area. Also repeals the

to enable the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority to issue a direction to require a petroleum titleholder to remediate the effects of a significant offshore petroleum incident within a title area that has caused, or may cause, an escape of petroleum.